Kelly and Nick’s Real Life Wedding

Kelly and Nick

24/02/2007 – Kitley House Hotel in Yealmpton, Near Plymouth.

How and when did you meet?

I had recently moved into the area and knew very few people. I was lucky to meet Nick on a rare night out in the pub.

How old are you both?

I’m 33 and Nick is 32.

Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?

It was Halloween 2005. We held a fancy dress party at our new house. Just as we were both ready and dressed up in horrific outfits he produced a gorgeous diamond ring and popped the question .

Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?

Nick went paint-balling in the day with his mates and then drank all night in the city. I had a fancy dress themed party. Everyone dressed up in the tackiest, nastiest bridesmaid dresses they could find. It was brilliant!

How did your groom help with the wedding planning?

Nick helped out with the big decisions like venue, cake, menus. Most of the other details I did myself, though Nick gave me his input if I asked for it.

Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?

I got lots of ideas from the articles and also all the other brides on the forums. I also found the budget planner very useful.

Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?

I bought the bridemaid’s guidebooks and the best man one.

Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it

I wore an ivory dress by Maggie Sottero. It was an organza over satin gown with a corset back. It was very sparkly with lots of embroidery, crystals and beads sewn on.

Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?

I had three adult bridesmaids, Two were good friends of mine and one was Nick’s Sister (also my friend!). They wore burgundy full length dresses with matching wraps and bags. All were purchased from BHS.

Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?

Nick chose his close friend, Chris, as his best man. Chris and my dad wore waistcoats and cravats which matched the bridesmaid outfits. The ushers were two of Nick’s friends called Scott and Mick. As they and the groom are all Royal Naval Officers, they all wore full uniform for the day.

Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?

It was a civil ceremony.

Where did you hold your ceremony?

Kitley House Hotel in Yealmpton, Near Plymouth.

Where did you hold your reception?

The whole day was held at Kitley.

How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?

We had 78 guests to the day and then about 125 in total for the evening.

Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?

The main theme of the day was ivory, gold and burgundy and also calla lilies.

How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?

The tables had burgundy cloths with ivory ones underneath and the napkins matched them. We had gold party poppers, champagne party bubbles and table diamonds scattered on them too, which sparkled nicely when the tea lights were lit.

I carried a bouquet of calla lilies and burgundy roses with gold spirals and a sprinkle of diamantes. The bridesmaids carried armheld sprays which matched my bouquet. The buttonholes and corsages were all calla lilies with burgundy trim. The tables each had a slim line vase with three large callas in with gold nuggets and ting ting.

What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?

We had a selection of canapes as a starter, followed by Beef Wellington. The dessert was our wedding cake served with white ice cream and fruit coulis.

What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?

Our cake was made by Annelise Wedding Cakes based in Newton Abbot. It was three tiers. On the outside it was white chocolate decorated with fresh fruit including raspberries, black cherries and redcurrants. Inside was a gorgeous Belgian chocolate mud cake.

Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?

During the day we had a caricaturist going around the guests drawing them pictures of themselves to take home as souvenirs. In the evening we had a disco.

Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?

We asked people for contributions towards our honeymoon.

Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?

We spent our first night in the Bridal Suite at the venue. We left for our honeymoon on the island of Kurumba in the Maldives two days later.

What was your most memorable moment of the day?

Seeing Nick for the first time as I walked the big oak staircase.

Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?

Take time out for just the two of you during the day, we did and we are so glad that we had the chance.